Shaving implement



Nov. 118, 1941.

H. c. WRIGHT S-BAVING IMPLEMENT FiledApril 2, 1938 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o o o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 o o o Patented Nov. 18, 1941 Horace 0. Wright, Chicago, Ill.,'assignor"to cm.

cago Flexible Shaft Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application April 2, iasa'senal No. 199,588

7 Claims invention relates to shaving implements oi the type known as dry shavers.

' I One of theobjects oiv my invention is to provide an improved shaver of thistype, Another object of my invention is to provide a an improved shaver of this type which, combines ln'a novel manner; means for close shaving and means for cutting long hairs. I

- Another object is to provide an improved comb and cutter for, a shaver ,of this type wherein the cutter reciprocates endwise and the comb is provided with an. area of small, closely positioned hair-receiving openings and with teeth along thev longitudinal edge of said area and wherein the cutter has a' shearing action simultaneously tion of the axis'of its curvedportionfso as to present an area I2 of greater. length'than width having small closely arranged perforations for close shaving. This comb is adapted to be moved over the face. in c a movement substantially at right angles to the length of such area, Along the longitudinal sides of the comb and in juxtaposition to the area I2, I have sh'apedthe comb to. provide rows of teeth designated generally by l3, designed for. cutting long hairs simultaneously with and during the stroke or movementoi the v comb in the shaving operation! This cooperative relation of smallhair-receiving openings for close shaving in a given area flanked by teeth at against the small openings and the teeth so as-v to effectively remove long hairs and at the same time effect close shaving. a. i i Another object is to provide a shaving implement of thistypein which the comb is formed preferably of thin spring steel and the cutter is mounted to reciprocate endwise on an anti-friction bearing, together with means for maintain ingthe comb and the cutter in effective shearing engagement one with the other without undue friction. I

Another object is to provide an improved comb for a shaving implement,

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved'shaving implement capable of being manufactured at a low cost.-

Other objects and attendant advantages ,thereone. or both longitudinal sides of such area so as to permit of the simultaneous functioning of the close and long hair cutting in the normal operation of the shaver is contemplated as one of the broader phases of my invention and capable of embodiment in forms other than shown in the drawing. This comb is maintained in c ooperative relation with a cutter designated generally by I4 having a series of teeth l5 spaced apart longitudinally of the comb and shaped to have shearing engagement with the inner side of the perforated area I! and the teeth l3 and mounted to bereciprocated endwiseinthe comb. In the present example, the cutter has parallel races It on its under side resting on anti-fricof willbe appreciated by those skilled in this art v as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered' in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly fragmentary, of parts of a shaving implement embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an and elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top view of the comb member removed from the shaver:

Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially on the section line 4-4 of Fig. 3; a

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 4, but showing the cutter in cooperative relation with the comb; and P f Fig. 6 is a cross-section through the comb and cutter on the scale shown in Fig. 3.-

My invention is here illustratedin a form in which the comb is formed of thin material preterablya sheet of spring steel, flexed to semi circular shape when in the operative condition;-

although as 'to certain phases of my invention the comb may be embodied in other forms and as will be understood from theldisclosure' shapes herein. In this form, the comb designated generallyfby II is preferably elongated in the direction ball bearings I! which in turn are suitably supported. and retained on a body portion l8. The comb is drawn down onto thecutter by means designed to exert a definite tension against the cutter and to permitot increasing ordecreasing this tension by a convenient means of adjustment. .As illustrative of this relation between the comb-and cutter I have shown spring pressed means engaging the side walls IQ of the comb and serving to yieldingly draw the comb down against the cutter, this means comprising spring arms 2| mounted on suitable supports 22 dle member ofth'e shaver.

at opposite ends of the comb, each arm being engaged in an opening 23 in the comb and having its opposite end '24 connected by a suitable adlusting screw-25 with an adjacent opposite spring end. Thesupports 22 being fixed with respect to the body of the shaver it will be apparent that by adjustment of the screw 25 to separate the ends 24 the outer ends II of the springs will be pressed downwardly with greater tension to increase the pressure of the comb against the cut- .ter. The cutter will be rapidly reciprocated in a short cutting stroke bylsuitable means such as a lever 26 pivotallymounted at 21 on the body and actuated by an eccentric or crank pin 28 in turn operated by suitable power means such as an electric motor arranged in the body or hancourse, be retained againstlengthwise movement in opposite directions. l

The comb will, of

One phase of my invention relates to the con-9., struction of the comb.v In the form shown, the

comb comprises a strip of normally flat spring steel of approximately .012". By suitable punchingand forming operations the small hair-receiving openings or perforations 29 are formed in the area I! and the teeth It are formed. In the embodiment shown the perforations 28' are each of,approximately .025 of an inch in diameter. This dimension, as well as the others given herein, .is for purpose of illustration and not as a the forming operations described, the comb is Y hardened and the inner surface-is ground and lapped preferably in accordance with the method claimed in the application of John Bruecker,

Serial No. 189,573, filed February 2, 1938, now Patent No. 2,182,067, grantedDecember 5, 1939. Briefly, this involves the step of grinding and lapping the inner face of the comb, that is, the area I2 and the teeth It while the comb is held in the arcuate form which it occupies in the operative position. The comb is then placed on a mandrel and the outer surface of the per-- forated area is ground to reduce the thickness of the comb,preferably to provide the area II of less thickness than the teeth l3, thus giving ness to the area II. In the form shown only the area II has been appreciably reduced to approximately .003 of an inch. The outer surface of the comb is then polished preferably by a bufling wheel or the like to round or baflle the edges of the perforations and the teeth.

The cutter I4 is machined to shape from a solid piece of high carbon tool steel or other suitable material, the body being bored lengthwise at 33- to provide a hollow structure and the top portion being milled transversely to provide a series of narrow transverse teeth IS' above mentioned.

greater strength to the teeth and extreme thin- The cutter is hardened and the top surface of the teeth is ground and lapped on a radius coincident with the inner surface of the comb to insure proper fit against such surface. This also provides cutting edges 34 onthe cutter having perfect shearing engagement with the cutting edges at the inner end of the perforations 2! and the teeth l3. As shown in Fig. 5, the cutting edges 3 terminate at their ends short of the extremities of the teeth It so as not to cut or mar the skin. The race bearings I are also ground for accurate support of the cutter. In the commercial form of my invention suitable means would be provided for closing these bearlngs against the admission of hair and foreign matter.

Any suitable body structure or casing. may be provided, such, for example, as one embodying a small electric motor for operating the cutter i4.

A construction of this kind may be held in the palm of the hand for convenientmanipulation of the cutting end. In the shaving. operation, the comb is moved over the skin in a direction crosswise of the elongated area I! and by proper tilting in manipulation of the shaver, the area 75 I! may be used independently for close shaving or the teeth l3 at either side may be used independently for clipping long hairs, or both the area l2 and teeth l3 at one side may be used simultaneously, it being apparent, of course, that the cutter is at all times operating in shearing relation with both the area I! and the teeth It so as to be immediately effective, depending bined with the close shaving action of the small perforations gives improved shaving results. In

the form of my invention here shown, the comb is drawn down upon the cutter. with a definite tension and this tension may be lessened or increased by means of the adjustment described, or by any equivalent means. By reason of this construction, a most effectiveshearing engagement may be maintained between'the comb and the cutter with the minimum amount of friction. The adjustment of this tension is particularly advantageous under different conditions of use.

My invention contemplates broadly the application of the comb features in different forms and embodiments including embodiment of an area corresponding to II, together with teeth I! in a flat surface, or a curved plane, or a spherical surface, and also the embodiment of these features in a disk member and in a cylindrical member. It will be manifest, therefore, that many changes may be made in form and construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a'shaving implement, a comb having an 7 elongated central area perforated to provide small hair-receiving openings for close shaving and thereby position such hairs -across the cutting edges at the inner side of the teeth, and

cutting means in cooperation with the cutting edges ofthe small perforations and the teeth at the inner side of the comb operative for simultaneous cutting operations. I

2. In a shaving implement, a comb structure having an elongated area of extremely thin sheet metal provided with small hair-receiving openings for closeshaving, and having a body contiguous to one of the longitudinal sides of said closely perforated area provided with an elongated wide perforation parallel with said longitudinal side, the longitudinal edge of said wide perforation adjacent to said longitudinal side being shaped to provide a series of teeth projecting into the open 'area formed by the wide perforation, the small perforations and the teeth. each having cutting edges at the inner side of the comb, said projecting teeth serving to engage beneath long hairs and thereby position -such hairs across "the comb-comprising a strip of thin such hairs across the cutting edges at the inner side of the teeth, and cuttingmeans in cooperation with the cutting edges of the small perforations and the teeth at the inner side of the comb operative for simultaneous cutting operation.

3. In a shaving implement, a comb having an elongated area perforated to provide small hairreceiving openingsfor close shaving and having an elongated perforation extending along one of the longitudinal sides of the perforated area, the longitudinal edge of said elongated perforation at the side thereof adjacent to the central area having the hair-receiving openings and the first mentioned teeth formed therein, the comb being formed to arcuate shapeand the cutter means having its cutting edges conforming to such shape, the inner surface of the comb being ground to finish the inner edges of the small opening perforations and the inner edges of the beingshaped to provide a' series of teeth projecting into the open area formed by such perforation, the small perforations and the teeth each having cutting edges at the inner side'of the comb, said projecting teeth serving to engage beneath long hairs and thereby position such hairs across the cutting edges at the inner side of the teeth, and cutting means in cooperation with the cutting edges of the small perforations and teeth in a common arcuate surface and the outer surface of the perforated area being ground to reduce the thickness of this area with respect to the toothed portion of thecomb body.

6. In a shaving implement, a comb having an area provided with small closely positioned hairreceiving openings having cutting edges at the inner side adapted, for close shaving, a row of comb teeth along one side of said close'shaving area extending laterally therefrom, the laterally the teeth at the inner side of the comb operative for simultaneous cutting operations.

4. In a shaving implement, a. comb having an area provided with small closely positioned hairreceiving openings having cutting edges at the inner sideadapted for close shaving, a rowof comb teeth along one side of said close shavin area. extending laterally therefrom, the laterally extending edges of said teeth at the inner side thereof constitutingcutting edges, and cutter means coacting with the-cutting edges of said close shaving area and having a row of laterally extending teeth coacting with the cutting edges of said comb teeth, the cutter teeth having movement in a cutting action lengthwise of the comb teeth, the comb teeth projecting outwardly be-.

yond the outer extremity of the cutter teeth to provide a guard extending beyond the outer extremityof the cutter teeth and serving to engage shape, the inner surface of. the comb being ground with the inner edges of the small opening perforations and the inner edges of the teeth in a common arcuate surface and the perforated I area being of less thickness than the body of the teeth. 5. In a shaving implement, a comb having an area provided with small closely positioned hairreceiving openings having cutting edges at the inner side adapted for close shaving, a row of comb teeth along one side of said close shaving area extending laterally therefrom, the laterally extending edges of said teeth at the inner side thereof constituting cutting edges, and cutter means coacting with the cutting edges of said close shaving area and having a row of laterally extending teeth coacting with the cutting edges of said comb teeth, the cutter teeth having movementin, acutting action lengthwise of the comb teeth, the comb teeth projecting outwardly beyond the outer extremity of the cutter teeth to provide a. guard extending beyond the outer extremity of the cutter teeth and serving to engage beneath long hairs to guide and position the oacting cutting edges of the comb and cutter teeth to be severed thereby, sheet metal extending edges of said teeth at the inner side thereof constituting cutting edges, and cutter means coacting with the cutting edges of said close shaving area and having a row of laterally extending teeth coacting with the cutting edges of said comb teeth, the cutter teeth having movement in a cutting action lengthwise of the comb teeth, the comb teeth projecting outwardly beyond the outer extremity of the cutter teeth to provide a guard extending beyond the outer extremity of the cutter teeth and serving to engage beneath long hairs to guide and position such hairs across the coacting cutting edges of the comb and cutter teeth to be severed thereby, the comb comprising a strip of thin sheet metal having the hairreceiving openings. and the first mentioned teeth formed therein, the comb bein formed to arcuate shape and the cutter means having its cutting edges conforming to such shape, the inner surface of the comb being ground to finishthe inner edges of the perforations and the inner edges of the teeth in a common arcuate surface, the outer surface of the perforated area being ground to reduce the thickness of this area with respect to the toothed and the toothed portion of the comb being in a r portion of the comb body, the perforated area curved surface.

7. In a shaving implement, a comb having an area provided with small closely positioned hairreceiving openings having cutting ed es at the inner side adapted for close shaving, a row of comb teeth along one side of said close shaving area extending laterally therefrom, the laterally extending edges of said teethiat the inner side thereof constituting cutting edges, and cutter means coacting with the cutting. edSes of said close shaving area' and having a row of laterally,

extending teeth coacting with the cutting edges of said comb teeth, the cutter teeth having movement'in a cutting actionlengthwise of the comb teeth, the comb teeth projecting outwardly be- 'yond the outer extremity of the cutter teeth to provide a guard extending beyond the outer extremity of the cutter teeth and serving toengage beneath long hairs to guide and position such hairs across the coacting cutting edges of the comb and cutter teeth to be severed thereby, the comb comprising a strip of normally fiat spring I steel formed to provide the close shaving opena, hair-receiving openings, leaving the teeth and the ing and the first mentioned row of teeth, the

comb being flexed to arcuate form and the outter means having its cutting edges in said arcuate form, the outer surface of the comb being ground to an extremely thin dimension at said area contiguous thereto of greater thickness.

" V HORACE C. WRIGHT. 

